HEALTH: 999 hospital services at Sidcup are axed as Health Secretary gives green light to changes

Mr Johnson has endorsed the findings of the Independent Reconfiguration Panel (IRP) on plans put forward by A Picture of Health (APOH) to make sweeping changing to healthcare in south east London.

His decision means within the next two years, Queen Mary's will be stripped of its Accident and Emergency department, in-patient paediatric services and its maternity services.

In a small concession, the IRP has recommended the stand-alone midwifery-led unit based at the Sidcup hospital, should remain.

It also recommended surgical A&E services at University Hospital Lewisham should remain available 24 hours instead of the 8am to 8pm service proposed by APOH.

But there was backing for the relocation of planned surgery from Orpington Hospital to Queen Mary's, although IRP members recommended urgent clarification of plans for the future of the Orpington unit and that "staff be fully involved in all further considerations".

The IRP was asked to review APOH's proposals for the acute hospitals in Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich and Lewisham after both Bexley Council and the joint scrutiny committee of councillors from the affected south east London boroughs, formally registered their dissatisfaction with the plans.

There has also been huge public opposition to the proposals, especially from Queen Mary's users.

Backed by the Health Secretary, the IRP said it "found evidence it is simply not clinically sustainable for four hospital trusts so closely located, to run four separate A&E departments".

In a letter, Mr Johnson told Councillor David Hurt, Bexley Council cabinet member for health: "There are currently insufficient medical staff to run a full range of emergency care services from four separate hospital sites properly."

He said Queen Mary's currently had only two A&E consultants when the recomnmendation was four.

On the closure of maternity services at Sidcup, Mr Johnson said this would provide a more sustainable and safe service for the future as there are currently not enough consultants to staff maternity units at all four hospitals.

He made the same argument for agreeing the IRP findings on the closure of in-patient paediatric service at Queen Mary's, saying the IRP had agreed that closing in-patient paediatric beds at Sidcup was more sustainable than any of the alternatives.

But it has recommended APOH consider continuing the day case cancer care for children and young people at Queen Mary's.

The IRP expressed its disagreement with plans to allow non-complex paediatric surgery to be carried out at all four hospitals and has recommended this should be looked at again.

The IRP has asked for more work with the London Ambulance Service (LAS) to find out how many extra blue light ambulances will be needed to transport emergency patients to the remaining three A&E departments.

It has also recommended the newly established transport group, which involves staff, patients, public and representatives from the LAS, Transport for London and Travelwatch, to start work immediately to find ways of lessening the impact of longer jouneys to hospitals.

It said APOH had responded to try and resolve problems which had arisen over the consultation.

But it did accept arrangements for decision-making meeting, which was held at short notice in London Bridge "could have been handled in a more inclusive and accommodating manner".

REACTION

Bexley Council, which referred the APOH proposals to the Health Secretary, was taking a philosophical view of the decision.

Council leader, Councillor Teresa O'Neill said: "This is not good news.

"We have lost A&E, but we did get something out of being party to the referral.

"We have got a stand-alone midwifery unit, an urgent care centre and an ambulance review.

"I am very disappointed the panel did not listen to all our priorities, but I think it was worthwhile making the referral."

She said she hoped the decision would not be the signal for the new combined hospitals trust for the Princess Royal, Farnborough, Queen Elizabeth, Woolwich and Queen Mary's Sidcup to start selling off parts of the Sidcup hospital site.

Cllr O'Neill said: "We have got to make Queen Mary's into a centre of excellence for elective surgery."

She said the success of the Sidcup hospital would now depend on what Bexley Care Trust decides to put on the site.

She said as well as a centre for elective surgery, she hoped the site would also be used for services such as dialysis which would save patients from having to travel to London for the treatment, and services for the elderly.

Cllr O'Neill added: "It is clear the care trust now has to step up to the mark.

"The council will also be doing what it can to make it happen and make Queen Mary's the best it can be."

Elsewhere reaction was not so muted.

David Evennett, MP for Bexleyheath and Crayford has already written to Mr Johnson expressing his "bitter disappointment" at the decision.

He wrote: “I believe that the views and concerns of local people have been disregarded in this respect, and I am still concerned about the provision of emergency services for the people of Bexley.

“The loss of accident and emergency services at Queen Mary’s will be particularly difficult, as the urgent care centre currently on the site is not yet open 24 hours a day.

"I also believe that the concessions made on ambulance provision and the financial review are minor."

Independents to Save Queen Mary's Hospital say Mr Johnson "should hang his head in shame" at the decision.

The political party set up to fight the APOH changes says both Simon Robbins from APOH and Roger Smith, medical director at Queen Mary's lied when they said clinicians supported the changes, claiming the party's own research shows three in four consultants are against the plans.

London Assembly member for Bromley and Bexley, James Cleverly was also "bitterly disappointed.

He said: “It is outrageous that Alan Johnson is cutting services at Queen Mary’s Hospital.

"There is such strong support for this hospital among local residents.

"It has proved that it has one of the best A&E departments in London, receiving a very high ranking in the Healthcare Commission patients’ survey."

He added: "I am deeply disappointed that the Secretary of State has ignored local residents.

"It is my constituents who will have to live with the consequences of his decision."

But MPs Clive Efford from Eltham and John Austin from Erith and Thamesmead, both welcomed the Health Secretary's announcement.

Mr Austin said the decision "has assured the future of Queen Mary's Hospital as a vital local facility providing a broad range of services and becoming a local centre of excellence for pre-booked surgery."

He added: "This is not about downgrading any hospital, it is about each hospital in the area providing different but vital services."

Both he and Mr Efford welcomed the news of a stand-alone midwifery unit at Queen Mary's.

Mr Efford said: "This was something that I requested after holding a very widespread consultation with local people.”